{"id":3440,"date":"2009-07-18T10:11:38","date_gmt":"2009-07-17T23:11:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/roberthood.net\/blog\/?p=3440"},"modified":"2009-07-18T19:56:48","modified_gmt":"2009-07-18T08:56:48","slug":"fightin-giant-metallic-bugs-in-the-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roberthood.net\/blog\/index.php\/2009\/07\/18\/fightin-giant-metallic-bugs-in-the-west\/","title":{"rendered":"Fightin’ Giant Metallic Bugs in the West"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mixing genres can be an effective way of adding interest to stories that would otherwise seem a little tired and overdone. Writer Richard Beattie and director Kristoffer Tabori appear to have taken the classic High Plains Drifter<\/em> (plus all the iconic westerns that it drew upon) and allowed it to be invaded by an old scifi favourite: a horde of giant bugs. Yes, it’s Clint Eastwood meets Them!<\/em> (with a suggestion of those Martian tripods from War of the Worlds<\/em>).<\/p>\n

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High Plains Invaders<\/strong> (US-2009; dir. Kristoffer Tabori)<\/p>\n

Synopsis<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

The hanging of honorable Indian-fighter Sam Phoenix in a small western town is cut short by the unexpected invasion of uranium-based insectoid creatures, forcing Sam and a small band of survivors to take refuge in a church. They\u2019ll need more than a prayer and a pistol to survive, as a Wild West landscape is inundated by a killer force of alien pioneers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Throw in Buffy’s favourite bad-boy vampire, James Marsters (“Spike”) and some decent-looking SFX and they might just have a winner.<\/p>\n

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Here Marsters comments on the genre mix:<\/p>\n

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And here he tells us why the film will be better than Buffy<\/em>:<\/p>\n

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And here’s a scene from the film:<\/p>\n

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Lots more clips can be found on this Czech James Marsters fan site<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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If they got it right, this could be the new Tremors<\/em>. The film has been available on the RHI website as an OnDemand download, but it comes to the SyFy Channel on 30 August. Then to DVD, one assumes.<\/p>\n